I did all laminate of my whole basement one person... but try to do the same in the cold room puzzle me when I am using a different type of 89 cents laminate.... gee... don't know if it is because of its being cheap or it is because the way this type being installed.... this type is those you angle in the short horizontal edge first, then you need to also angle in the long vertical edge, as you need to fit in angle, so the whole row will require to be angle up when you are installing only one piece... the issue is when the whole row angle up... those guy already installed will begin to mis-align a bit and it becomes a nightmare for one pair of hand to fix.... with two people ... it will be ok though as the other person will hold up the already installed pieces making sure they don't shift out.....

now is this a normal situation... or I didn't know how to do it... when facing this type of installation... do I have to call in my wife to help which I need to make an appointment...

send_it_all

06-13-2007 10:15 AM

Are you absolutley sure that they cant be tapped into place with one of those laminate installation blocks?....they sell installation kits at Home Depot that comes with the block that you hit with a hammer to lock pieces together without lifting, shims for the space at walls, and that steel tool that hooks on the flooring at the wall where you dont have room to use just a hammer.

NateHanson

06-13-2007 11:07 AM

Save your money. Just use scraps you cut off for your installation blocks. Lock a 3" or so wide piece onto the edge, then hit the little block with a hammer. Make another little block that can lock onto the short end, so you can tap it down into the previous piece too, if you need to.

I've installed the sort of floor I think you're talking about without a helper. You need to click the short end onto the last piece installed as close to the last course as possible. It will be about 1/2" too far out. Then tilt the last piece you put in and the new piece about 4-6 inches off the floor, and tap the new piece down towards the last course. You don't need to tilt the entire course up off the floor. Just lifting the last piece will be enough to allow you to engage the piece you're putting in. The rest of the course will just flex a bit, and stay locked in.

KUIPORNG

06-13-2007 12:10 PM

that is exactly what happened and I tried that and hope that's the way...etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NateHanson
(Post 48911)

Save your money. Just use scraps you cut off for your installation blocks. Lock a 3" or so wide piece onto the edge, then hit the little block with a hammer. Make another little block that can lock onto the short end, so you can tap it down into the previous piece too, if you need to.

I've installed the sort of floor I think you're talking about without a helper. You need to click the short end onto the last piece installed as close to the last course as possible. It will be about 1/2" too far out. Then tilt the last piece you put in and the new piece about 4-6 inches off the floor, and tap the new piece down towards the last course. You don't need to tilt the entire course up off the floor. Just lifting the last piece will be enough to allow you to engage the piece you're putting in. The rest of the course will just flex a bit, and stay locked in.

but probably due to the poor quality of the product... the pieces down the row of the last pieces also got affected....

and to send_it_all... I tried also by pure tapping without lifting... and the dawm piece almost got me knock into small piecess and still doesn't work.... and I may conclude that when purchasing cheap laminate... difficult installation is expected... not all piece give me problem... but some does and it's very frustrating...

I also found the edge is weaker and easier to dmage when compare to the more expensive and yet thinner laminate... so probably need to watch real hard when you see laminate so cheap...

KUIPORNG

06-14-2007 10:09 AM

I think this xyz laminate is kind of proof to be a pain in the ####

The good news is I only use this stuff in the cold room...

The bad news is there are gap which I cannot fix in a few spots...

This cheap laminate.... is a killer... you save on materials... but you waste effort on installation....

I wonder is there contractors who refuse to install this sort of products....

I swear so much when doing it...

I almost want to break all the pieces and bring them back all to HD and ask for a full refund... had it not finished 60% now and had it not a cold room only... and I didn't want to go through this hassel... hopping it almost done...

so the lesson I learnt is:

do not buy laminate which is so new and like coming from nowhere and being sell at such low price.... Always buy laminate which is a brand being sell for a long time and establish a special display section in the store... and if they are on sale ... go for it...

HAASEMAN2003

06-14-2007 02:43 PM

Kui****g I just did my kitchen with the more expensive floor and I to revert to my native tong. I think this just comes with trying to do the job by your self. LOL:laughing:

KUIPORNG

06-14-2007 02:49 PM

I did the approx 1000 sq. ft. of laminate(good quality) no problem.. and laminate is suppose to be for DIYers... it is not somthing like laying interlock stones... I don't think this product should be difficult at all... if it is difficult and only real pros can install it... it shouldn't name somthing called laminate....

and I heard stories that some pros install large area of laminates and got pop up here or there ... I am sure it is not their skill to be blamed but the inferior quality like the one I am having is to be blamed...

KUIPORNG

06-15-2007 09:11 AM

Finally figure out how to install this cheap laminate

You need:

1. a fat wife over 200 lbs who don't mind standing still like a dummy
or a heavy metal band saw (which I used)
or a heavy toilet seat

2. a pair of slippers

to install this cheap stuff.

The heavy object is to stand on the adjust plank to make it not to tilt when you are tilting the plank you are installing.

The slippers is to keep the plant you are installing remain tilt while you are tapping it onto the slots.

then you can do it with one person with confident.

I also find out while one place has gap and unfixable. it is because the floor is not too level and the plank is too wide to provide fexiblity to cover this very little uneven floor... So the narrower the plank, the more flessiblity you have when purchasing laminate....

doesn't mean all my above xyz not true no more,,, they are still stay... I never figure out you need a "toilet seat" to install laminate....

HAASEMAN2003

06-15-2007 09:20 AM

lessons I figured out is.

Donít use your hand to knock the pieces together it really hurts the next day :thumbsup:

Don't hit the sides to hard chips are not your friends. :censored:

Donít *************** at your wife if she is not reading your mind to figure out what she is suppose to be doing. :whistling2:

KUIPORNG

06-15-2007 09:28 AM

Do you need a heavy object to install yours though? I think you don't as you are installing higher quality (more expensive) stuff....

the success in mine is using the heavy object at the adjacent planks... it is really the key....

regard tapping, I used the metal bar for laminate installation , not the tape block... as I find it is easier...

HAASEMAN2003

06-15-2007 10:01 AM

My flooring I used for my kitchen was the water resistant interlocking both ways then the nail in solid wood for my bedroom and den. It was still a big headache to try do by yourself. It is a lot easier to have a buddy come and help. I, for some reason have been roped into 5 flooring jobs for friends. No matter how expensive the flooring is it all has its problems. The joints are never a perfect science. Every time I get done I say I will not do another but all it takes is a phone call and I seem to go through the same pain again. Glad you got through it!